THE FOKESTS BY KEGIONS. 17 



Of the remaining portions of the alluvial region the valley of the 

 Red River is one of the most highly cultivated areas in the State. 

 The virgin timber has almost entirely disappeared, but there are 

 large areas of second-growth oak, gum, and cottonwood. Yellow 

 poplar was once abundant in the well-drained coves of the slopes 

 between the valley and the sanely pine region adjoining, where it 

 grew to great size. 



The Ouachita Valley still contains a few valuable cypress brakes. 

 One brake in Morehouse Parish is said to average over 45,000 board 

 feet per acre. A 150-acre tract of cypress in an adjoining parish 

 recently sold for $32,000. Excellent red and white oak, hickory, 

 and red gum grow within easy hauling distance of the railroads. 

 Valuable tie stumpage is often sold by the farmers at an average 

 price of 6 or 8 cents a tie, which, with the waste, is equivalent to 

 about $1.60 per thousand feet. The value of the same timber in 

 sawlogs would be at least $6 per thousand feet. At distances from 

 the railroad greater than 5 miles hardwood stumpage still has little 

 value, and farmers girdle even the best oak and red gum in clearing 

 the land. 



Similar conditions exist in many other detached sections of the 

 alluvial region. In the Pearl River Valley the best cypress has been 

 removed. Along the Sabine River large amounts of cypress are still 

 rafted to mills in Texas, though the supply will soon be exhausted. 

 Along both rivers are unbroken forests of gum, ash, oak, hackberry, 

 elm, and other hardwoods. 



Tn the northern parishes about 300,000 acres, cultivated before the 

 Civil War, are now growing up to stands of gum, ash, elm, oak, and 

 cottonwood. Some of this second-growth timber will in a few years 

 be more valuable than the virgin stands. The average diameter of 

 most species is about 10 inches, but cottonwood averages 24 inches 

 and over. The low, sandy flats of the Mississippi and other streams 

 in the upper parishes are, in fact, especially adapted to cottonwood, 

 which is the most salable timber, and for such purposes as headings, 

 slack cooperage, and box boards brings from $3.50 to $5 per thousand 

 feet on the stump. With the growing scarcity of cypress the value 

 of all the other species, particularly red gum, should increase rapidly 

 in the future. 



Fires are not serious within the alluvial region. The moist soil 

 and the dense evergreen undergrowth prevent their spread. Fires 

 that do occur are followed by quick and abundant reproduction. 



BLUFF REGION. 



The bluff region is a remnant of a deposit of calcareous silt and 

 brown loam bordering the Mississippi alluvial flood plain. On both 

 52862°— Bull. 114—12 3 



